Richmond, VA local landlord rules
State law also applies. See Virginia landlord-tenant law and the Virginia landlord FAQ. State rules: Security deposit limit · Deposit return deadline · Notice to enter · Late fees · Eviction notice (nonpayment) · Rent increase notice.
Quick facts
| Topic | At a glance |
|---|---|
| Short-term rentals (Airbnb) | Yes. Before operating, the owner needs a certificate of zoning compliance for the short-term rental use. It expires after 730 days, and every advertisement must show it (§ 30-697.1(8)-(10)). No more than 8 renters over 18 are allowed (or fewer if the building code requires), at least one renter must be 18 or older, and only one booking may be taken at a time. The operator must file contact information with the Zoning Administrator and post a floor plan. In multifamily buildings, at most 10 units or one-third of them, whichever is less, may be short-term rentals (§ 30-697.1). In residential (R) districts, the rental must be on the same lot as the operator's primary residence, with only one short-term rental per lot (§ 30-697.2). |
Details & sources
Short-term rentals (Airbnb)
Yes. Before operating, the owner needs a certificate of zoning compliance for the short-term rental use. It expires after 730 days, and every advertisement must show it (§ 30-697.1(8)-(10)). No more than 8 renters over 18 are allowed (or fewer if the building code requires), at least one renter must be 18 or older, and only one booking may be taken at a time. The operator must file contact information with the Zoning Administrator and post a floor plan. In multifamily buildings, at most 10 units or one-third of them, whichever is less, may be short-term rentals (§ 30-697.1). In residential (R) districts, the rental must be on the same lot as the operator's primary residence, with only one short-term rental per lot (§ 30-697.2).
Verified Source: Richmond City Code § 30-697.1, § 30-697.2 (Browser transcription) · last checked 2026-10-16
Back to quick facts ↑Research coverage
0 of 13 topics checked at the local level (state law is covered on the state page). A topic counts as checked only when every subtopic in it is checked or no additional requirement was found after a recorded full read. How coverage works.
| Topic | Status | Subtopics done |
|---|---|---|
| Deposits | Not researched | 0 of 2 |
| Deposit return deadlines | Not researched | None tracked at this level |
| Rent increases and rent control | Not researched | 0 of 1 |
| Late fees | Not researched | None tracked at this level |
| Landlord entry | Not researched | None tracked at this level |
| Repairs and habitability | Not researched | 0 of 1 |
| Screening and application fees | Not researched | None tracked at this level |
| Fair housing and assistance animals | Not researched | 0 of 1 |
| Disclosures | Not researched | 0 of 2 |
| Renewal and termination | Not researched | None tracked at this level |
| Eviction | Not researched | 0 of 3 |
| Registration and licensing | Not researched | 0 of 3 |
| Short-term rentals | Partially researched | 1 of 2 |
Also applies statewide
Virginia rules that also apply in Richmond:
- Security deposit limit
- Under Va. Code § 55.1-1226(A), no landlord may demand or receive a security deposit, however denominated, in an amount or value in excess of two months' periodic rent. The same section also governs how a deposit may be applied, the 45-day itemized disposition, multi-tenant refunds, utility holdbacks, mid-tenancy deduction notices, recordkeeping, and move-out inspection rights; those rules are not fully restated here. Example: a landlord may not avoid the two-month cap by calling the payment something other than a security deposit, because subsection (A) applies to a security deposit however denominated. Verified Source: Va. Code § 55.1-1226(A) · last checked 2026-11-12 · Full Virginia security deposit limit page
- Deposit return deadline
- Itemized written notice plus any amount owed within 45 days after the tenancy ends or the tenant moves out, whichever is later. Verified Source: Va. Code § 55.1-1226(A) · last checked 2026-10-15 · Full Virginia deposit return deadline page
- Notice to enter
- Notice of intent to enter, and entry only at reasonable times, except in an emergency. At least 72 hours' notice for routine maintenance the tenant didn't request. Verified Source: Va. Code § 55.1-1229(A)(4) · last checked 2026-10-15 · Full Virginia notice to enter page
- Late fees
- Late charge must be in the written lease and can't exceed the lesser of 10% of the periodic rent or 10% of the remaining balance owed. Verified Source: Va. Code § 55.1-1204(E) · last checked 2026-10-15 · Full Virginia late fees page
Other Virginia cities
- Arlington County landlord rules
- Berryville landlord rules
- Cape Charles landlord rules
- Charlottesville landlord rules
- Chesapeake landlord rules
- Emporia landlord rules
- Franklin County landlord rules
- Halifax County landlord rules
- King George County landlord rules
- Norfolk landlord rules
- Prince Edward County landlord rules
- Virginia Beach landlord rules
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